“Two years is a long time in my job. I just want to do well for the club as long as I can and accept all the rest”

Arsene Wenger

But Wenger, 62, said: "I've shown my commitment to this club but at the moment I'm not in the mood to think about the long-term future.

"I will assess my own performances and then make a decision."

The Frenchman continued: "I am an Arsenal man. I think I have always shown that. I have to consider if I do well or not.

"If I don't do well, I have to consider my future. At the moment we are not there. I have to consider that, at my age, you always have to assess if you have the fitness, the desire, the commitment that this job demands.

"Then of course you have to make your decisions. I hope I will be lucid enough and intelligent enough to assess my performance well.

"Two years is a long time in my job. I just want to do well for the club as long as I can and accept all the rest."

While being non-committal about his own future, Wenger did seek to ease concern that defender Bacary Sagna was unsettled at the club.

The 29-year-old right-back was quoted in French newspaper L'Equipe questioning the club's transfer policy.

Arsene at Arsenal

Wenger joined Arsenal from Japanese club Grampus Eight in 1996 as successor to Bruce Rioch

Between 1996 and 2005 he won seven major trophies with the Gunners - three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. This includes two Doubles, in 1997-98 and 2001-02

Arsenal have failed to win a trophy since claiming the 2005 FA Cup

They have finished in the Premier League's top four every year since Wenger took over in 1996

Wenger's men have reached the Champions League 14 years in a row. Prior to his arrival, they had made Europe only 12 times in total

"Bacary's interview doesn't reflect the love he has for this club," Wenger added. "He has always given full commitment. Bacary loves the club and I think he will stay here."

Wenger, who was appointed Arsenal boss in 1996, has now presided over seven trophyless years at the club, during which top players have left.

Gazidis, though, is keen to retain the services of the man who has won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during his time with the Gunners.

"It's not a sense of sentimentalism, not a reward for our services, it's a belief that we have an incredible manager who loves this club and is the best man to lead us forward," Gazidis told The Daily Mirror.

"We're really confident about the direction that the club is heading. We're coming through strongly and we believe we're really well placed.

"We hope and believe that Arsene will be a part of that as we move forward. He is written into our DNA.

"At the same time, as a club, we have to make sure that all of the things that Arsene has brought to the club are enshrined in our DNA to make sure that when the day comes when Arsene decides it's time to hang up his boots - I don't know what the expression is as a manager - that we are in a position to take his ideas and work forward."

Comments

Think arsene should stay providing he has finished selling his best players, needs to keep what he has and add to it. Arsenal now are a good side particularly at the back which is unusual for recent arsenal teams post Campbell-toure era. Forward additions look ok but when bedded in should do the business. Top four and a trophy even if league cup is achieveable.

7 years no trophy?Folks need to remember that 7 years ago Arsenal were in the process of finishing building the stadium. This cost a lot of money.Chelsea and City started spending daft money. Man Utd already had their infrastrucure in place (they earned it without cheating tbf).

Arsene should stay and reap the rewards of FFP. He deserves it. The man is a genius to stay in the top 4.

Arsene is 100% Arsenal, so if he wants to stay then I would love it but if he feels he should move on he won't leave the club in the lurch and more than anything will make sure the club is in a good position to deal with his departure with a quality replacement! Like the look of the team and all done without breaking the bank. Whatever he decides to do fans all round the country respect him!

Any Arsenal fan who thinks Wenger should go's a numpty. He's given the Premier League the best football it's seen since he arrived. Top manager & decent bloke, even if he "did not see the incident". But if he does leave AFC, Port Vale, my club, offer 2 dozen oatcakes & 20 Park Drive for his services.

As a Man City fan of 40 yrs, I wish we'd had a Wenger in that time. His managerial performance is consistently fantastic. I don't fear for Arsenal's future with him at the helm, but I do fear for the future of most other teams realistically chasing European places - including City. To those few Gooners that have grumbled about him - wake up and smell the roses - you'll miss him when he's gone!

davethetree 153. The sort of luck Chelsea enjoyed last season, especially in the Chumps League but also in certain league games where they scored offside/non goals at will (compare to Tottenham who kept scoring legitimate goals that were ruled offside - all by Adebayor, strangely). In the CL they relied on top quality players missing penalties and great chances against them. And Drogba was amazing

Re: 84 Astounding figures. Makes me very proud to be a fan of Mr Wenger, but you miss out on the fact that Chelski WON the FA Cup and WON (with whatever awful style of football) the Champions League. Their £527m has bought recent success. Personally, I am happier in Arsene's camp of frugal decisions and putting the club first, but we HAVE to win something this year.

Stop embarrassing Newcastle fans. You'd love to be in our position, as would Spurs, Liverpool and Everton.

With our increased revenue from 2014; if FFP rules work out, only teams with high income will compete with us, i.e. Man Utd, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. If FFP fails, then add Man City, Chelsea and PSG to that.

Some of those Arsenal fans need to have their heads examined. Wenger has done a fantastic job and is still doing a fantastic job by keeping Arsenal afloat for the past 13 years.If he was an Englishman, those same pundits trying to drive him out will want him Knighted.There's only £23 million of debt left and they also have £120 million of hard cash in the bank.Can we have him at Liverpool please

@144 rjbcoachVery well put regarding the character and persona of Arsene Wenger.Your second point regarding the finances, I don't envy AW with the wheeler dealers with their own agenda and prioritising what they see is best for AFC.It must be like p**ing in the wind for AW.He'll be missed, but sadly not until he's been gone a while and the penny drops when AFC have a string of 'managers'

@ firstoldmen. Arsenal start every recent season as yesterdays news according to the "experts." Watch how we do this year...don't bet yer taxi with that "expert" Savage that's my advice. We'll never make the top four again it's all over...seen it, heard it, all before. Wenger's a loser blah blah blah...we've ruined English football etc. BTW Allardyce's Bolton 1st team with out a British player.

I believe everyone in and watching football respects AW a great deal. He is a man of honour, intelligence, loyalty, integrity and great skill as a top flight manager. But in my 50 years going to top-flight matches, I have seen Arsenal move from one of the 3 or 4 big-spending ambitious clubs in the UK to being a club run by accountants who see victory as balancing the books. Great shame for AW.

I respect his mindset. He is determined for Arsenal to do well this season. If they don’t, there will be speculation. It’s beneficial for both parties to see how the season goes. The owner’s wants to tie him down as it makes their job easier and Arsene genuinely wants what’s best for the club. He may feel if he had done all that he can for the past 7years, what can change in the next 7?

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